The Toronto Maple Leafs will have to readjust to life without Joffrey Lupul — for two games.

Lupul, who'd scored three times in two games since returning from a broken forearm, was suspended on Thursday for hitting Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Victor Hedman in the head.

Joffrey Lupul had three goals in two games since returning to the Maple Leafs. (AP Photo)

Lupul appeared to go out of his way to make contact with Hedman, who'd gotten rid of the puck, during Toronto's 4-2 win on Wednesday night.

"After Hedman passes the puck, Lupul approaches from the side and recklessly targets Hedman's head by elevating and making it the principle point of contact," NHL Department of Safety representative Rob Blake said in a video explaining the video.

Lupul said after the game that the hit was unintentional.

“I didn’t realize I got him in the head,” he told reporters. “I saw he was hurt — again, I gotta see the replay but by no means did I go after and try and hit him in the head.

“I wasn’t even over there to hit him, he kinda came back towards the middle at the last second, and it’s unfortunate.”

Lupul, who hadn't been fined or suspended in his nine-year career, will lose $45,945.94 in salary and miss games against the Buffalo Sabres and Saturday aginst the Buffalo Sabres.

Lupul had looked good on Toronto's nominal third line flanking Nazem Kadri, who had three assists against Tampa Bay, including on Lupul's game-opening goal. Kadri, 22, now has 30 points in 30 games and has earned more minutes from Randy Carlyle despite often playing with lesser linemates. On Friday and Saturday, he'll have to make do without Lupul.

Toronto (16-12-2) is alone in sixth place in the East with 34 points, putting them ahead of three teams with 32 and four points behind the fifth-place Ottawa Senators.

In other Maple Leafs news, defenseman Mike Komisarek cleared waivers and was assigned to the AHL's Toronto Marlies. The 31-year-old is in the fourth season of a five-year deal that pays him an average of $4.5 million but had been a healthy scratch in all but four games this season. The plan is to play him in the minors and, in all likelihood, buy him out in the summer.